NIDDM subjects on insulin or oral agents with BMI greater than 28 kg/m2 were subjected to a 5 day fast followed by 16 weeks of isocaloric diet-35 k cal/kg -ideal body weight or diet plus weekly 24 hr supervised fast. End points were glucose, weight, medication requirements. Predictors for successful outcome was fasting blood sugar less than 200 mg/dl off medications were assessed.